Bad Reputation

Everyone’s got a bit of bad in them. Whether it’s our rebellious teen streak, or simply craving excitement, at some point we all do something we know is wrong.
Some justify it with a ‘devil may care’ attitude, e.g. the bad boy/bad girl look, ultimately giving them a tone of mystery.
Maybe it’s a glimmer of a darker element in their past? Either way, this can often be mistaken for something worse, usually making the individual a target.

Sometimes slipping up once at the wrong time can mean you are automatically put into a category, the same goes for who you associate with or your financial background.
Like it or not, that’s society and they are soon to judge and discriminate. Personally, I prefer to know the person before I make a judgement and we all know others that would say the same - whether they meant it or not.

Since the 80s people have been brought up in a world focused around me, what I want and how I’m going to get it. Commercialised in their own little world and often brainwashed to worry only about one.
If, anyone stands in their way, they are the bad guy. The media is excellent for demonstrating these examples to the ever gullible viewer. With picture perfect beauty on screen everybody wants it, of course the media like any good religion knows how to make you desire the unobtainable and like the good book itself - has a formula.
Every formula, metaphorically speaking or otherwise, has ingredients, what we would refer to as categories. In early childhood years we all learn the meaning of people, categories and stereotypes, with the media promptly chuffing out these formulas every day, how will people learn any different?

For five long teenager years I indulged in the Goth scene, white face, black eyes, red lipstick, lace, leather, funky multi-colour hairstyles...Whilst associating with moshers, clubbers, pill heads, stoners and what we referred to as ‘metal heads’. Inspired by Marilyn Manson and his awesome ‘tainted love’ cover when I was 13, it spiralled on and sometimes out of control until I was 19.
Whilst I chained smoked and stomped around in my ½ stone each boots, I used to wonder why so many people used to give me dirty looks and sometimes yell abuse.
Knowing that I was actually a good person, wasn’t a devil worshipper and didn’t slit my wrists was more then so many of them could believe, because...I surely didn’t look like it.
Either way, being a badass looking goth automatically gives you a bad reputation.

The persona has carried on, even though I left the look behind. Ok, so I smile more :-D
That’s a given. But I suppose everybody carries a piece of their past with them forever. The question is should they be judged and ridiculed for their reputation...true or otherwise, how do you really know?